IT Support

Our goal is to provide configurable, professional and straight-talking IT support for SMEs in the North West. So, whether you need advice every now and again, or you’re looking for a complete package, we can tailor-fit our IT services to suit you.

Managed IT Support

Looking for comprehensive IT support for a fixed monthly price? We’ll become your IT department, proactively managing everything from assessments and onboarding, through to ongoing support, protection, strategic optimisation and all the bits in between.

Pro Active Monitoring

A preventative maintenance service designed to support SME’s existing IT departments, our proactive monitoring support ensures system issues are identified and resolved, before they can cause problems. This approach creates a second or third line of support for your team, resulting in a fully comprehensive IT strategy.

Hosted Phone Systems

Telecoms is often just as important as the IT infrastructure itself, which is why we offer integrated VoIP phone solutions that keep your systems, employees and customers connected, in the slickest way possible.

Managed Cloud Services

At Q2Q-IT we know the everyday needs of a modern business. The nerve centre of communication in business is email; so, it is important to have a reliable and, most importantly, safe form of communication. As well as managing your cloud storage, here at Q2Q we also manage the complex tools and software that help your computer network thrive.

Business Internet Services

It is impossible to run a modern SME without the power of the internet. That’s why we offer a range of comprehensive internet and broadband services to ensure fast and reliable connectivity for your business, at all times.

Disaster Recovery

A computer crash does not have to be the end of the world for your business. The most common cause of an IT disaster is a simple failure of technology, meaning that months or even years of files can be lost through no fault of your business. However, such a loss can have a devastating effect.

Backup and Replication

Whilst you can never know when you may incur a data loss, you can guarantee that nothing will be lost forever. We offer a range of contingency plans including remote backups and data replication – both designed to keep your information safe and secure, even when the unexpected happens.

Managed Cloud Services

Looking for all of the benefits that come with cloud servers, without any of the technical difficulties that may arise? We offer a variety of cloud services managed by our own IT experts so it’s one less thing for clients to worry about.

Hosted Business Email

By 2019, it is estimated that 204 billion emails will be sent per year. The need to send and receive emails, using a variety of devices, has therefore never been greater. But with this growing magnitude of digital communications comes the additional headache of managing archived messages, as well as spam, malware, viruses and phishing attempts. We can help.

Cyber Security

Cyber crime is one of the biggest risks facing UK SMEs, but it is also one of the dangers that so many organisations continue to overlook. Our IT experts are clued up on the latest protection mechanisms to keep your business, employees and data, cyber safe.

Assessments

Are you struggling to understand the current state of your IT infrastructure? Or are you worried about complying with the new General Data Protection Regulations? Whether you’re preparing for growth, concerned about data security, or just think it’s time for an IT MOT – we can help you regain control!

Our IT Assessment can provide the answers to all common SME pain points, while our specialised GDPR Assessment will help you get your data processes in shape and complying with the new legislation.

IT Assessment

We’ll undertake a thorough, 36-point health-check of your current IT infrastructure and processes, before presenting our findings in an easy-to-digest graphical report. The result is a clear understanding of the areas for improvement, in priority order, along with a breakdown of the actions required to achieve progress.

GDPR Assessment

The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came into effect on the 25th May 2018, with the intention of bringing existing EU legislation surrounding the use and processing of ‘personal data’ up to date.

On a daily basis I work on resolving IT issues for our clients. My skill set tends to adapt according to the current needs of our customers, from solving basic matters like fixing a printer through to more complex server infrastructure deployment. I am also often out on site visiting customers that are in need of an IT saviour.

Within the team, I work on the proposals for new and existing customers, and ensure we all work together to implement the solutions we propose.

I enjoy overseeing new projects so that, when clients evolve, we can ensure their growth, office move and/or induction of a new team member, is as seamless as possible from an IT perspective.

I also drive the rest of the team insane with my singing!

Background and Achievements

I joined the Q2Q team when they were part of the I.T. department for the Tulchan Group 14+ years ago. This was my first full-time role straight of out A-levels. I have enjoyed being part of the company and watching it grow from 3 members of staff to a blossoming 10.

I find it hard to pin point specific achievements as one of my values personally is to always exceed your own expectations. My wife would say being a great Dad to my two boys.

A great achievement for me is getting 76 miles to the gallon on the motorway and being able to finally grow stubble.

Hobbies and Interests

I aim to train in Muay Thai twice a week and religiously go to the gym every day I can.

I can juggle and have always wanted to learn knife throwing.

Whatever device you use to communicate, it’s constantly getting easier to do so! Internet speed and stability are increasingly improving and Voice over IP (VoIP) service are replacing the standard phone call as a cheaper and more accessible alternative.

We have been a VoIP user for years now, so if you are thinking of going over to the other side but not sure you know enough about the service, here are some of the things we think you should consider!

It’s an office full of creative geeks with great banter, what’s not to love!

As a child I wanted to be a ... when I grew up

An actress

Guilty Pleasure(s)

Trash reality TV

Favourite Holiday

Walking in Wales if I am feeling energetic, Crete if I need a rest!

If I had a superpower it would be...

Mind Reading

Describe yourself in three words or less

Fun, nurturing, efficient

An interesting fact about me

My first car was a Humber Sceptre, which started my obsession with cars

Likes

Thai food, long walks with my dog, creating ideas with post it notes!

Favourite Band

I’ll listen to pretty much anything I can sing along to

Karaoke Jam

Islands in the stream, Dolly Parton

What I do at Q2Q:

My role is essentially support Andrew (the MD) with defining the overall business strategy and financial budgeting, then to design and deliver cost effective process and organisational change strategies, managing positive change in support of Q2Q’s future growth plans.

I work with the team to ensure there is continuous organisational performance improvement that is always customer centric, ensuring they are working collaboratively and efficiently, coaching them individually and as a team to bring out their best performance in supporting our customers.

Background and Achievements

The majority of my career has been in the mad world of Fashion, on the planning and operational side. In my previous role as Operations Director for a Heritage Menswear brand, I was responsible for the end to end journey of the product, from range planning, through sourcing, production, quality control, logistics, warehousing and customer service. Some of my key achievements in this role were improving on all delivery and service KPI’s, improving quality performance from 10% rejects to 1%, and delivering a significant number of process improvements across the team, whilst also delivering a saving on costs of 10% on overheads.

• As this role spanned so many disciplines, it enabled me to focus on my true passion, which is process improvement and people development, so my proudest achievement was introducing a Continuous Improvement Project Team to the wider business, bringing a positive change culture based on a combination of ideas including Appreciative Inquiry and Solution Focus tools. The workshops we developed empowered people to solve problems cross functionally, and considerably improved communication, collaboration and efficiency, whilst making savings to the bottom line. These workshops have formed the basis of the tools I now incorporate into Q2Q, and offer as an additional consultancy service to Q2Q customers.

Hobbies and Interests

Walking with my dog, and eating out with family

Using an iPad can be a great way to increase your productivity outside of the office- however we are used to clients buying them with great expectations and end up leaving them in a drawer. What you can do though is download the right apps and make use of the right accessories to make sure your iPad is used to its maximum potential.

It may be that you have been instructed by your workplace to start working with an iPad but are struggling to get used to using it. We have put together three tips on how you can work with your iPad and increase your productivity.

On a daily basis I work on resolving IT issues for our clients. My skill set tends to adapt according to the current needs of our customers, from solving basic matters like fixing a printer through to more complex server infrastructure deployment. I am also often out on site visiting customers that are in need of an IT saviour.

Within the team, I work on the proposals for new and existing customers, and ensure we all work together to implement the solutions we propose.

I enjoy overseeing new projects so that, when clients evolve, we can ensure their growth, office move and/or induction of a new team member, is as seamless as possible from an IT perspective.

I also drive the rest of the team insane with my singing!

Background and Achievements

I joined the Q2Q team when they were part of the I.T. department for the Tulchan Group 14+ years ago. This was my first full-time role straight of out A-levels. I have enjoyed being part of the company and watching it grow from 3 members of staff to a blossoming 10.

I find it hard to pin point specific achievements as one of my values personally is to always exceed your own expectations. My wife would say being a great Dad to my two boys.

A great achievement for me is getting 76 miles to the gallon on the motorway and being able to finally grow stubble.

Hobbies and Interests

I aim to train in Muay Thai twice a week and religiously go to the gym every day I can.

I can juggle and have always wanted to learn knife throwing.

It’s been a long time since private information has been kept in a locked save or padlocked diary. But there has been speculation that Windows 10 has hold of more of your information than you realise. So we have collated 5 of our Top Tips to help protect your privacy in Windows 10- whether you believe you are in breach or not.

Never a dull day. Whether it be someone singing or bad jokes, we always have time to laugh.

As a child I wanted to be a ... when I grew up

Dancer/popstar or a plumber

Guilty Pleasure(s)

Dolly Parton

If I had a superpower it would be...

Being able to talk to animals like Elisa Thornberry from 'The Wild Thornberries' or to stop time like 'Bernards Watch'

Describe yourself in three words or less

Friendly, Organised, Chatty

An interesting fact about me

I have a degree in Dance Teaching

Likes

Dancing, a good cheeseboard, the pub

Favourite Band

Bowling for Soup

Karaoke Jam

Steps- Deeper Shade of Blue

Favourite Holiday

Disneyland 2015

What I do at Q2Q:

As Helpdesk Supervisor at Q2Q I organise the support team to ensure all our customers’ needs and tickets are resolved quickly and professionally.

Whether I am answering the phone, sending emails or logging support tickets on behalf of our customers, I always find time to ensure our customers are happy. My aim since joining the team at Q2Q is to ensure that not only are we running a tight ship on our helpdesk, but that the journey with us is awesome – one of our values here at Q2Q.

Background and Achievements

I have spent the last 9 years working within hospitality and customer services and continued to do so during my 3 years at university where I studied Dance, Performance and Teaching.

I searched for a role where I could strive in an organisation to bring in my own strong customer services values. This didn’t exist in the small towns of Lancashire, until Q2Q LTD!

My biggest achievement would probably be my range of experiences which include travelling part of America, teaching, volunteering in after school clubs and work.

Hobbies and Interests

As you can probably tell, I love to dance - I’ve done it for over 20 years and I love learning new styles. I also enjoy going to the gym most days and keeping fit.

I love cooking, I’m a big foodie and enjoy making up recipes - some don’t always turn out to plan!

I enjoy going out with friends and family. I’m very sociable, whether it be something cultural or something not so cultural!

Over the past three weeks I have spent some time with a group of University Students at The Lancaster University Management School who, guided by the number 1 'networker' in Lancashire Pete Cornwall, helped us to undertake some valuable business research on the use of data within SMEs. Our findings have been completely insightful and given us the facts on why and how we can help small businesses work more efficiently.

This project has not only allowed us to do some research on a topic that is extremely useful for our business but allowed the students to work on a real life business project- something I think is in-valuable.

On a daily basis I work on resolving IT issues for our clients. My skill set tends to adapt according to the current needs of our customers, from solving basic matters like fixing a printer through to more complex server infrastructure deployment. I am also often out on site visiting customers that are in need of an IT saviour.

Within the team, I work on the proposals for new and existing customers, and ensure we all work together to implement the solutions we propose.

I enjoy overseeing new projects so that, when clients evolve, we can ensure their growth, office move and/or induction of a new team member, is as seamless as possible from an IT perspective.

I also drive the rest of the team insane with my singing!

Background and Achievements

I joined the Q2Q team when they were part of the I.T. department for the Tulchan Group 14+ years ago. This was my first full-time role straight of out A-levels. I have enjoyed being part of the company and watching it grow from 3 members of staff to a blossoming 10.

I find it hard to pin point specific achievements as one of my values personally is to always exceed your own expectations. My wife would say being a great Dad to my two boys.

A great achievement for me is getting 76 miles to the gallon on the motorway and being able to finally grow stubble.

Hobbies and Interests

I aim to train in Muay Thai twice a week and religiously go to the gym every day I can.

I can juggle and have always wanted to learn knife throwing.

It’s been around for ages now, that mysterious ‘cloud’, and has become a cost-effective necessity for small businesses. Business owners can sleep more soundly knowing their web hosting, email services and file storage are now easier and safer because of the cloud.

We believe, however that there are still many people misinformed about the service, with common misconceptions that we are often correcting. Here are our 3 busts for myths about the cloud.

Never a dull day. Whether it be someone singing or bad jokes, we always have time to laugh.

As a child I wanted to be a ... when I grew up

Dancer/popstar or a plumber

Guilty Pleasure(s)

Dolly Parton

If I had a superpower it would be...

Being able to talk to animals like Elisa Thornberry from 'The Wild Thornberries' or to stop time like 'Bernards Watch'

Describe yourself in three words or less

Friendly, Organised, Chatty

An interesting fact about me

I have a degree in Dance Teaching

Likes

Dancing, a good cheeseboard, the pub

Favourite Band

Bowling for Soup

Karaoke Jam

Steps- Deeper Shade of Blue

Favourite Holiday

Disneyland 2015

What I do at Q2Q:

As Helpdesk Supervisor at Q2Q I organise the support team to ensure all our customers’ needs and tickets are resolved quickly and professionally.

Whether I am answering the phone, sending emails or logging support tickets on behalf of our customers, I always find time to ensure our customers are happy. My aim since joining the team at Q2Q is to ensure that not only are we running a tight ship on our helpdesk, but that the journey with us is awesome – one of our values here at Q2Q.

Background and Achievements

I have spent the last 9 years working within hospitality and customer services and continued to do so during my 3 years at university where I studied Dance, Performance and Teaching.

I searched for a role where I could strive in an organisation to bring in my own strong customer services values. This didn’t exist in the small towns of Lancashire, until Q2Q LTD!

My biggest achievement would probably be my range of experiences which include travelling part of America, teaching, volunteering in after school clubs and work.

Hobbies and Interests

As you can probably tell, I love to dance - I’ve done it for over 20 years and I love learning new styles. I also enjoy going to the gym most days and keeping fit.

I love cooking, I’m a big foodie and enjoy making up recipes - some don’t always turn out to plan!

I enjoy going out with friends and family. I’m very sociable, whether it be something cultural or something not so cultural!

I think it’s safe to say I have just about recovered from Thursday night’s antics at The Red Rose Awards. What an incredible night of celebration for businesses in Lancashire.

On a daily basis I work on resolving IT issues for our clients. My skill set tends to adapt according to the current needs of our customers, from solving basic matters like fixing a printer through to more complex server infrastructure deployment. I am also often out on site visiting customers that are in need of an IT saviour.

Within the team, I work on the proposals for new and existing customers, and ensure we all work together to implement the solutions we propose.

I enjoy overseeing new projects so that, when clients evolve, we can ensure their growth, office move and/or induction of a new team member, is as seamless as possible from an IT perspective.

I also drive the rest of the team insane with my singing!

Background and Achievements

I joined the Q2Q team when they were part of the I.T. department for the Tulchan Group 14+ years ago. This was my first full-time role straight of out A-levels. I have enjoyed being part of the company and watching it grow from 3 members of staff to a blossoming 10.

I find it hard to pin point specific achievements as one of my values personally is to always exceed your own expectations. My wife would say being a great Dad to my two boys.

A great achievement for me is getting 76 miles to the gallon on the motorway and being able to finally grow stubble.

Hobbies and Interests

I aim to train in Muay Thai twice a week and religiously go to the gym every day I can.

I can juggle and have always wanted to learn knife throwing.

Most of us work on-the-go these days whether it’s going to and from client meetings attending events or travelling long distances. But, unless you have a charger handy, there is always the dread of losing battery on your phone! I’m afraid by using your IPhone its inevitable that the battery will drain, for some reason we haven’t mastered this bit of technology yet- but there are ways you can help extend your battery life.

On a daily basis I work on resolving IT issues for our clients. My skill set tends to adapt according to the current needs of our customers, from solving basic matters like fixing a printer through to more complex server infrastructure deployment. I am also often out on site visiting customers that are in need of an IT saviour.

Within the team, I work on the proposals for new and existing customers, and ensure we all work together to implement the solutions we propose.

I enjoy overseeing new projects so that, when clients evolve, we can ensure their growth, office move and/or induction of a new team member, is as seamless as possible from an IT perspective.

I also drive the rest of the team insane with my singing!

Background and Achievements

I joined the Q2Q team when they were part of the I.T. department for the Tulchan Group 14+ years ago. This was my first full-time role straight of out A-levels. I have enjoyed being part of the company and watching it grow from 3 members of staff to a blossoming 10.

I find it hard to pin point specific achievements as one of my values personally is to always exceed your own expectations. My wife would say being a great Dad to my two boys.

A great achievement for me is getting 76 miles to the gallon on the motorway and being able to finally grow stubble.

Hobbies and Interests

I aim to train in Muay Thai twice a week and religiously go to the gym every day I can.

I can juggle and have always wanted to learn knife throwing.

With the vast majority of businesses relying on IT for recording their data, many are seriously underestimating the absolute necessity of backing up that data. In fact it’s estimated by 123-reg that one in ten businesses fail to backup their valuable information, meaning that your business could be just minutes away from disaster.

Client Testimonial

"The Q2Q support team are excellent at their jobs - they are incredibly friendly and experts in their fields."

Vicky Lofthouse - CEO - Lancaster District Chamber of Commerce

Client Testimonial

"We know our business will remain functional at all times – their support is genuinely 24/7. But this isn’t just because we’ve made an agreement or because they have SLAs to fulfil. A proactive, problem-solving, ‘can do’ approach is part of Q2Q’s DNA."

Philip Oldham - CEO - Lyle and Scott

Client Testimonial

"We find the service to be speedy, friendly, and most importantly, honest."

Andrea Lumb - Finance Director - CME Medical

Client Testimonial

"They always listen to us and provide pragmatic solutions that fit with our business objectives."

Michael Gregory - Director - Freshfield

Client Testimonial

"Q2Q’s IT audit enabled me to see a snapshot of Dreamr’s tech needs with a simple and jargon free way to fix important issues. For any busy owner, Q2Q is hands down the way forward."

Mylo Kaye - CEO - DreamR

Client Testimonial

"We’re already ahead of the curve in our current 5-year business plan, which means our IT infrastructure should support us long into the future."

Latest News

These days, the influence of the internet is huge, but greater still is our dependency on it to carry out everyday tasks – especially at work.

The truth is that internet connectivity is a hygiene factor for the majority of modern-day SMEs – from emails and conference calls, to digitised databases and software packages. You need all this – and more – to complete your job efficiently, so when web issues arise, it can be frustrating and distracting for all employees.

Given connectivity is at the core of your business needs, it goes without saying that you should always be benefitting from fast – and reliable – connections.

So, how can you ensure your workplace internet is working as well as you need it to? Here are some key things to bear in mind…

On a daily basis I work on resolving IT issues for our clients. My skill set tends to adapt according to the current needs of our customers, from solving basic matters like fixing a printer through to more complex server infrastructure deployment. I am also often out on site visiting customers that are in need of an IT saviour.

Within the team, I work on the proposals for new and existing customers, and ensure we all work together to implement the solutions we propose.

I enjoy overseeing new projects so that, when clients evolve, we can ensure their growth, office move and/or induction of a new team member, is as seamless as possible from an IT perspective.

I also drive the rest of the team insane with my singing!

Background and Achievements

I joined the Q2Q team when they were part of the I.T. department for the Tulchan Group 14+ years ago. This was my first full-time role straight of out A-levels. I have enjoyed being part of the company and watching it grow from 3 members of staff to a blossoming 10.

I find it hard to pin point specific achievements as one of my values personally is to always exceed your own expectations. My wife would say being a great Dad to my two boys.

A great achievement for me is getting 76 miles to the gallon on the motorway and being able to finally grow stubble.

Hobbies and Interests

I aim to train in Muay Thai twice a week and religiously go to the gym every day I can.

When SMEs are looking to invest in IT support, many will be sold exclusively by the bottom-line cost – which isn’t always the most accurate judgement call.

We understand that any external expenditure has to have a solid business case and be able to successfully demonstrate a positive return on investment – and rightly so! That’s why business owners need to meticulously weigh-up the pros and cons of each provider – not just the pound signs – and ensure they are the best and most supportive ‘fit’ for their organisation on a much greater level.

Find out more about why we believe IT support goes above and beyond just the numbers…

It’s an office full of creative geeks with great banter, what’s not to love!

As a child I wanted to be a ... when I grew up

An actress

Guilty Pleasure(s)

Trash reality TV

Favourite Holiday

Walking in Wales if I am feeling energetic, Crete if I need a rest!

If I had a superpower it would be...

Mind Reading

Describe yourself in three words or less

Fun, nurturing, efficient

An interesting fact about me

My first car was a Humber Sceptre, which started my obsession with cars

Likes

Thai food, long walks with my dog, creating ideas with post it notes!

Favourite Band

I’ll listen to pretty much anything I can sing along to

Karaoke Jam

Islands in the stream, Dolly Parton

What I do at Q2Q:

My role is essentially support Andrew (the MD) with defining the overall business strategy and financial budgeting, then to design and deliver cost effective process and organisational change strategies, managing positive change in support of Q2Q’s future growth plans.

I work with the team to ensure there is continuous organisational performance improvement that is always customer centric, ensuring they are working collaboratively and efficiently, coaching them individually and as a team to bring out their best performance in supporting our customers.

Background and Achievements

The majority of my career has been in the mad world of Fashion, on the planning and operational side. In my previous role as Operations Director for a Heritage Menswear brand, I was responsible for the end to end journey of the product, from range planning, through sourcing, production, quality control, logistics, warehousing and customer service. Some of my key achievements in this role were improving on all delivery and service KPI’s, improving quality performance from 10% rejects to 1%, and delivering a significant number of process improvements across the team, whilst also delivering a saving on costs of 10% on overheads.

• As this role spanned so many disciplines, it enabled me to focus on my true passion, which is process improvement and people development, so my proudest achievement was introducing a Continuous Improvement Project Team to the wider business, bringing a positive change culture based on a combination of ideas including Appreciative Inquiry and Solution Focus tools. The workshops we developed empowered people to solve problems cross functionally, and considerably improved communication, collaboration and efficiency, whilst making savings to the bottom line. These workshops have formed the basis of the tools I now incorporate into Q2Q, and offer as an additional consultancy service to Q2Q customers.